ace-attorney-investigations-2
Latest
Capcom: No plans to localize Ace Attorney Investigations 2 'at this time'
If you're eager to find out about the ongoing adventures of Miles Edgeworth, Dick Gumshoe, and Kay Faraday (like we are), we have some possibly distressing news to report. Capcom is currently denying any plans to localize Ace Attorney Investigations 2. During a recent "Ask Capcom" video, VP of strategic planning and business development Christian Svensson answered a question about the game pretty flatly: "The answer is 'no.' Sorry about that." He echoed this sentiment in a less definite manner on other occasions, telling Capcom forum members "Regarding AAI2 sorry guys, there's no plans for Western release at this time." Finally, he clarified Capcom's position in a statement to Siliconera: "Regarding the question, plans change all the time so I would probably rather use the 'There are no plans for a Western release at this time for AAI2.'" We can't help but be reminded of Atlus's recent declaration of "no plans" to localize Catherine, followed two days later by the announcement of a North American release. As for Capcom, there were no plans for a Western release of the Wii port of Resident Evil Zero, either -- Svensson even said that Capcom USA was "asked twice if we've wanted to bring it Westward and twice we've declined." The third time, it relented; the game came out in North America in 2009. So, yes, plans change all the time.
Edgeworth investigates the top of Japan's sales chart
The weekly Media Create rankings make a strong case for the continued existence of the Ace Attorney Investigations series. In its first week of release in Japan, the sequel topped the chart with 132,266 copies sold. It's not quite the start the first Investigations got -- it sold 172,000 copies in its first week back in 2009 -- but it's still first place. Overall, it was a strong week for new games, and for handheld games. The top four games are all DS or PSP titles, and all came out on the same day, February 3: Macross Triangle Frontier (PSP), White Knight Chronicles: Dogma Wars (PSP) and Dragon Ball Kai: Ultimate Butouden (DS).
Ace Attorney Investigations becomes a theme park attraction
Japan residents eager to step into the frilly cravat of Ace Attorney Investigations prosecutor Miles Edgeworth will be able to do so this spring. Well, not literally -- more like step into his office. In honor of the Japanese release of Ace Attorney Investigations 2, Sega's Tokyo Joypolis theme park will host an Ace Attorney Investigations themed attraction built to resemble Edgeworth's workspace. Visitors will be able to search the attraction, as Edgeworth, in order to find evidence and determine the culprit of a crime. If you'd prefer to walk around a simulated theme park inside an Ace Attorney game, you can do so in the first Investigations.
Ace Attorney Investigations 2 out February in Japan, includes Edgeworth figure
We now have two reasons for wanting to play Ace Attorney Investigations 2 in Japanese, despite knowing full well how difficult and unfulfilling it is. Were we to pick it up from Japan, we'd be able to play it starting February 3. It hasn't been confirmed for release outside of Japan. Capcom announced that release date today, along with a collectors edition, and two special edition packages exclusive to Capcom's Japanese online store (which is currently down) -- the other tempting reason to buy a Japanese version. The Collectors Package includes an orchestral soundtrack, a DVD featuring trailers and TGS stage show footage, and a manga booklet, all priced at ¥6,090 ($75.42). The e-Capcom exclusive Limited Edition includes all the aforementioned items, plus a 1/10 scale figurine of Miles Edgeworth, for ¥8,000 ($99.07). If you want the game and figure, but not the limited edition stuff, e-Capcom has that for ¥7,140 ($88.42). Spending a hundred bucks on a game we can't read just to get a figurine is a pretty terrible tribute to Edgeworth -- it would just be so illogical.
Level-5's Jiro Ishii working 'with Takumi-san' on Ace Attorney project
Jiro Ishii directed the "sound novel" 428 for Chunsoft, and is now at Level-5 working on Time Travelers. He's also working with Capcom, on one of the Level-5/Capcom collaborations teased by Keiji Inafune -- a new Ace Attorney game. "Huh? Ah, Gyakuten ○○. I'm working on it with Takumi-san," Ishii tweeted, as translated by Siliconera. "Gyakuten" ("Turnabout") is present in each game's title so far: "Gyakuten Saiban" (Turnabout Judgment) for the original Ace Attorney games, and "Gyakuten Kenji" (Turnabout Prosecutor) for the Investigations series. While it's interesting enough that an adventure game expert from Level-5 and Chunsoft would be working on an Ace Attorney game, there are two more parts of that tweet that we want to press. Ishii obscured the last half of the title, suggesting that it's not Ace Attorney Investigations 2, but rather something unannounced, with a new title. Furthermore, he said he's working with "Takumi-san," likely series creator Shu Takumi, who hasn't been directly involved with the games since Apollo Justice. Which also suggests it's a new game. We'll be in our office reviewing the case files until more evidence comes to light.
Ace Attorney Investigations 2 preview: My first game of Logic Chess
Despite the obvious problems with trying to play a graphical text adventure in Japanese, I attempted the Ace Attorney Investigations 2 TGS demo. I was able to glean at least the premise and highlights of the first case: a politician is shot during a speech, immediately following the landing of his plane, and Miles Edgeworth and Dick Gumshoe are assigned to investigate it. As tends to happen in these games, things got weird almost immediately, as my investigation led to a giant Steel Samurai balloon submerged in a body of water. That's probably an important clue! Ace Attorney nerds will be happy to know that the Steel Samurai seems to figure heavily in this game -- not only does that balloon appear in the first five minutes of play, but Capcom's booth included inflatable Steel Samurai decorations, as well. %Gallery-101844%
Investigate these Ace Attorney Investigations 2 screens
Next week's Tokyo Game Show will be the site of many game unveilings, including Capcom's follow-up to Ace Attorney Investigations for Nintendo DS. No need to wait 'til then to get a peek at it, though, as the publisher has released the first few shots on its Japanese site. %Gallery-101844%
Ace Attorney Investigations 2 announced, coming to TGS
Sure, the weather in Tokyo may be frightful right now, but there's good reason to fly over for TGS. The latest issue of Famitsu has revealed a sequel to Edgeworth-starring adventure Ace Attorney Investigations. According to a Siliconera report, Capcom's new courtroom caper will include new kinds of game systems, including one that's supposedly chess-like. (How appropriate!) Further investigation has yet to reveal additional details, but we can deduce using logic (and enthusiasm) that Ace Attorney fans will demand an English localization. Any rebuttals?
